| POTATO HEALTH BENEFITS, NUTRITION VALUES |
| In 18th century, potatoes were introduced to North America via Irish immigrants, however their origin is South America. Over 7,000 years ago, potatoes were first cultivated in the Andes Mountains. Many kinds of potatoes are seen today, but the most common of these are the russet, round white, and the red potato. Potatoes are tough and durable, store well, and have an impressive nutritional content including being a rich source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Like other fruits and vegetables, potatoes are a low calorie food and are free of fat, cholesterol, and sodium. However, the leaves and stems of a potato plant are poisonous and may cause illness when ingested. Nutrition Facts: Russet Potato Serving Size 1 potato (200g) Amount Per Serving Calories 140 Total Fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 10 mg Total Carbohydrate 31 g Dietary Fiber 5 g Sugars 2 g Protein 3 g Also contains Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron. Nutrition Facts: Russet Potato Serving Size 1 potato (200g) Amount Per Serving Calories 140 Total Fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 10 mg Total Carbohydrate 32 g Dietary Fiber 3 g Sugars 2 g Protein 4 g Also contains Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron. POTATO HEALTH BENEFITS ANTI-OXIDATIVE ACTIVITIES The antioxidative activities of anthocyanins from purple sweet potato have been demonstrated. [2] CANCER PREVENTION? A case-control study of 64 newly diagnosed cases of gallbladder cancer and 101 cases of gallstones suggests a significant reduction in odds ratio with the consumption of sweet potato among vegetables. [1] CHOLESTEROL LOWERING EFFECTS Potato has been demonstrated to lower serum cholesterol. [3] Sweet potato was found to be effective binder for cholesterol in a vitro study. [4] Availability, Selection and Storage Potatoes are grown across the United States and are available year round. Store potatoes in a cool, dry place. Sunlight can cause the skin to turn green; if this occurs the skin must then be peeled off before consuming. Most of the nutrients are contained right below the skin, so avoid peeling when possible. Besides fresh potatoes, other forms are often available as well, including • Refrigerated pre-cut fresh potatoes • Frozen potatoes • Canned potatoes • Dehydrated potatoes When choosing potatoes, be sure they are firm, smooth, and the color they are supposed to be. Softness, a green tinge, or wrinkly skin may indicate a potato that is past its prime. Preparation Potatoes should be thoroughly washed with clean tap water and scrubbed lightly before preparation. Any sprouts or eyes growing from the potato should be cut out. The skin can be removed or left on depending on use. Common methods of preparation include boiling, baking, microwaving, mashing, frying and grilling. Consuming baked and grilled potatoes with the skin left on provides the most nutrients. Include potatoes in your variety of daily colorful fruits and vegetables! Start a vegetable garden and plant potatoes, they are easy to grow! Wash and poke holes in a raw potato and microwave for about 4 minutes for a fast, tasty low-calorie snack. Add cut-up boiled potatoes to stews and vegetable soups. Wrap baking potatoes in foil and put them on the grill and add to a summer meal. Boil and mash potatoes for an all time favorite dish. Slice potatoes into strips, season, and bake in the oven for healthy, homemade French fries. Potato Varieties Russet---------------------------------------------- Round White Long White------------------------------------------Fingerling Red skinne----------------------------------------- New Blue/Purple skinned-----------------------------Yellow flesh REFERENCE 1 Pandey M et al, Diet and gallbladder cancer: a case-control study Eur J Cancer Prev. 2002 Aug;11(4):365-8. 2. Antioxidative activity of anthocyanins from purple sweet potato, Ipomoera batatas cultivar Ayamurasaki. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2005 May;69(5):979-88. 3. Cholesterol-lowering effects of soybean, potato and rice proteins depend on their low methionine contents in rats fed a cholesterol-free purified diet. J Nutr. 1997 Mar;127(3):470-7. 4. Lund ED Cholesterol binding capacity of fiber from tropical fruits and vegetables. Lipids. 1984 Feb;19(2):85-90. |
| What are the benefits of potato? Potato is a rich source of fibers, potassium and vitamin C. In addition, it contains very low calories and fat content. |
